The HD dynamic trend goes beyond the Gulf countries to reach other regions, notably The Levant and North Africa

Dubai, Paris, 15 January 2018 – At CABSAT today, leading satellite operator Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) released new data about the TV channels it broadcasts from its 7/8° West video neighbourhood.

An expanding line-up of HD channels

The attraction of the region’s 7/8° West neighbourhood is driven by the growth of High Definition content, with 187 HD channels now broadcasting at this position. One visible shift can be noticed when it comes to Free-To-Air (FTA) channels, with more than 110 HD FTA channels now broadcasting from 7/8° West, a 44% increase from January 2017 to January 2018. This acceleration, which once mainly applied to Gulf countries, now applies to the entire region, especially Levantine and North African countries.

HD viewing penetration on the rise

The pace of HD adoption is accelerating in the MENA region. According to Eutelsat’s latest TV Observatory report relating to Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and Saudi Arabia, HD-equipped homes at the 7/8° West neighbourhood now reach 20.6 million (66% of TV homes), up from 10.7 million in 2016.

Founded in 1977, Eutelsat Communications is one of the world's leading satellite operators. With a global fleet of satellites and associated ground infrastructure, Eutelsat enables clients across Video, Data, Government, Fixed and Mobile Broadband markets to communicate effectively to their customers, irrespective of their location. Over 6,700 television channels operated by leading media groups are broadcast by Eutelsat to one billion viewers equipped for DTH reception or connected to terrestrial networks. Headquartered in Paris, with offices and teleports around the globe, Eutelsat assembles 1,000 men and women from 44 countries who are dedicated to delivering the highest quality of service.

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